MontanaMontana would fund mentoring and training for new teachers
If enacted and funded, Montana would provide new teachers with trained mentors and support through a statewide program run by the Office of Public Instruction.
What it does
New teachers could receive one year of support from trained mentors, but each school district's board would choose whether its teachers take part. The program depends on legislative funding.
The bill would provide $1 million each year for two years to support the program, including planned payments to mentors and early-career teachers, if enacted.
Argument forNew teachers could get trained mentors and regular support, which may help them build skills and remain in Montana classrooms.
Argument againstBecause districts could choose whether teachers participate and the program depends on funding, access to mentors and payments may vary across schools.
More detail
The Office of Public Instruction would create and run a statewide teacher training and support program. The program would serve teachers who are new to teaching or in their first three teaching years, with experienced mentors in the same subject or grade. A school district's board of trustees would decide whether its early-career teachers participate. The program would include mentor training, ongoing support, remote communication, in-person professional activities, data collection, and cooperation among state offices, districts, preparation programs, and educator organizations. The program would emphasize support for early-career teachers in impacted schools. The program would take effect July 1, 2025, if the bill were enacted and funding were provided.
The state would set aside $1 million from the general fund for the Office of Public Instruction each year of the two-year budget period. The money would support the Montana B.E.S.T. teacher training program and its related administrative costs. The program's planned payments include $2,500 for each mentor teacher and $600 for each early-career teacher, with at least $300 of the early-career teacher payment coming from the employing school district. Administrative costs would be limited to 15% of the state funding. The bill states that the funding should become part of the program's ongoing base for the next legislative session. The appropriation would begin July 1, 2025, and cover each year of the biennium.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Jun 19(H) Vetoed by Governor Greg GianforteLatest
- Jun 10(H) Transmitted to GovernorTo Governor
- Jun 9(S) Signed by PresidentPassed Senate
- Jun 2(H) Signed by SpeakerPassed House
- Apr 29(H) Returned from Enrolling
- Apr 25(H) Sent to Enrolling
- Vote recorded Do Concur. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 25(S) 3rd Reading
- Apr 25(S) Scheduled for 3rd ReadingMinor
- Apr 24(S) 2nd ReadingMinor
- Vote recorded Do Concur. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 24(S) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Apr 23(S) Take from Committee; Place on 2nd Reading - (S) Education and Cultural ResourcesMinor
- Vote recorded Take HB 340 from Comm-Novak. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 16(S) Tabled in Committee - (S) Education and Cultural ResourcesMinor
- Vote recorded to_table. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 14(S) Hearing - (S) Education and Cultural Resources
- Apr 7(S) Referred to Committee - (S) Education and Cultural ResourcesMinor
- Apr 7(S) 1st Reading
- Apr 5(H) Transmitted to Senate
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 5(H) 3rd Reading
- Apr 5(H) Scheduled for 3rd ReadingMinor
- Apr 4(H) 2nd ReadingMinor
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 3(H) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Mar 28(H) Committee Report - (H) Appropriations
- Mar 27(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Appropriations
- Vote recorded do_pass_as_amended. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 26(H) Hearing - (H) Appropriations
- Vote recorded Do Pass. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 26(H) Rereferred to Committee - (H) AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 26(H) 2nd ReadingMinor
- Mar 26(H) Scheduled for 2nd ReadingMinor
- Feb 13(H) Committee Report - (H) Education
- Feb 13(H) Committee Executive Action - (H) Education
- Feb 7(H) Hearing - (H) Education
- Jan 29(H) 1st Reading
- Jan 29(H) Referred to Committee - (H) EducationMinor
- Jan 29(H) Introduced
- Jan 28(LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
- Jan 23(LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
- Jan 23(LC) Draft in Assembly
- Jan 23(LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
- Jan 23(LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
- Jan 22(LC) Draft in Edit
- Jan 22(LC) Draft in Legal Review
- 2024
- Nov 20(LC) Drafter AssignedIntroduced
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